The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has joined the local football fraternity in mourning the death of CAPS United legend, Joe “Kode” Mugabe.
Mugabe, who carried the aspirations of the Green Machine for over a decade, died of cancer in the early hours of Sunday morning in Reading, England.
The former midfielder relocated to the United Kingdom at the turn of the millennium. He died just a few weeks shy of his 53rd birthday.
In a statement on Sunday, ZIFA spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela described Kode as “was one of the finest football players to emerge in Zimbabwe”. Said Gwesela:
ZIFA have learnt with great sadness of the passing on of football legend Joe ‘Kode’ Mugabe. Mugabe was one of the finest football players to emerge in Zimbabwe.
He represented CAPS United and the country with great distinction and tenacity.
It is beyond doubt that he contributed immensely to the development of football in the country.
It is very painful that we continue to lose these football legends at a time when we needed them the most to develop the beautiful game in Zimbabwe.
ZIFA commiserates with the Mugabe family and the football fraternity as a whole during this painful period.
It is our prayer that the family will be comforted.